More Than Friends?
by scribblez33
Summary: Jessie and Slater form a friendship that may be more.


Jarethcat Productions

A Save by the Bell fanfiction

Written by Scribblez33

I own nothing. I am not making a profit off of this. This is all my own work.

More than Friends? Chapter 1

Jessie Spannow knew that high school was coming to a close this year and she would have to accept an offer from one of the many colleges preparing to give her scholarships.

School had been out for a week and already the weather was heating up. While her friends begged and pleaded with her to go to the pool, or do other activities, she was indoors, studying and reading for the next school year. It was for this reason that she was able to answer the telephone when it rang.

"Is this Jessica Spannow?" a voice she did not recognize asked.

"It is, may I ask who this is?"

"This is the chief down at the police station. I need you to come in."

Jessie, thinking one of her friends had landed themselves in a cell, rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ill be right there, sir." Jessie grabbed her keys and headed out the door her books left open and forgotten for now.

When Jessie arrived at the station, it was two in the afternoon and she was in awe of the building. It had stone pillars holding it up and the inside was just as beautiful. She looked at the floor to see the beautiful black and white marble tiles and the statues around the hall. Jessie saw many people when she reached the lobby, but none familiar to her. She walked up to the desk and spoke to the secretary.

"My name is Jessica Spannow. I received an urgent call."

The secretary looked at Jessie, then down at her papers. She leaned forward and spoke, "Open when the buzz sounds, please."

Jessie sighed. What had her friends gotten into now? Maybe this was a practical joke, or a dream. A dream seemed the most likely to Jessie.

The buzz sounded and pulled Jessie out of her thoughts. She rushed to the door and flung it open. When Jessie stepped through, an officer was waiting for her, "Follow me" were the only words spoken.

Jessie gulped and wondered if one of her friends had committed murder the way the officers were looking at her. They arrived at their destination. And a door was opened. Jessie took a step inside the small room. What Jessie saw made her heart leap to her throat.

"Slater, what are you doing here?" Jessie questioned as she walked to his side.

Slater looked up to Jessie. "Thanks for coming, Jes. I really needed you."

Jessie was startled. Never had Slater looked so terrible, or called her by some form of her name.

Slater was hunched over in a chair that was nowhere near the table. Tears were running down his face.

Jessie took a long look at the distressed Slater. His body was shaking. She knelt in front of him and took his hands from his face. "Slater, I am going to take you home."

This brought another set of tears to Slater's eyes as he looked at Jessie. "He's gone, Jes. Gone."

Jessie started piecing things together. "Slater," she began in a hushed tone, "Did something happen to your father?"

Slater only nodded.

"Tell me what happened." Jessie prompted. She got up and dropped Slater's hands to pull the only other chair in the room over to where she was kneeling. When she was settled in her chair, she picked up his hands once again.

"Slater, you can talk to me. You can trust me. I will take you wherever you want to go after this, but you are going to have to tell me what happened to your father. I don't think these guys," Jessie waved her hand around the room to signify the police officers, "are going to let you go until they feel that you are stable."

Slater took a deep breath. "You're right, Mama."

Jessie smiled. Slater's use of her personal nickname from him made her confidence in his stability rise.

"I was called down here early this morning. The officers asked me if I knew where my father was and I thought he was in trouble. He had never came home from his assignment Tuesday night, so I responded that I thought he would be out with one of their officers. That's when they took me next door. I saw him, Jessie! Just on Tuesday! And now he's, well he's dead! I had to identify that it was him even though they had his ID card."

Jessie had tears in her eyes. Slater never mentioned his father much, but she knew that he cared and admired his work in the military and now, the police force. "Slater, this is not fair on you. We both know this. But it does no good to just sit here and cry. Would he want that from you? Think about your father."

"I knew that you were the best choice, babe." Slater squeezed Jessie's hands and walked to the table to grab his jacket. "I think I am ready to go home."

Jessie only nodded. She stood and walked behind Slater as they left the room and headed towards her Jeep.

The ride to Slater's place was quiet and long. Jessie stole glances at Slater. He was wearing his usual blue wife beater that showed off his muscles and natural tan skin. He was also wearing cut off jeans. His brown eyes were still glistening with tears threatening to leave. His gorgeous black locks were ruffled and messy probably from running his hands through them too many times.

"Slater, do you need me to stay with you for a while?" The question took both Jessie and Slater by surprise.

"Why would you ask that?" Slater turned in his seat to look at Jessie. She was wearing her short denim cutoff shorts and a yellow tank top and she looked absolutely stunning.

"I have no idea." Jessie pulled into Slater's drive way and stopped the Jeep. "I was probably meaning that if you needed me, just call."

Slater took Jessie's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thanks. I will call if I need you. And please, don't tell anyone that I cried. I need to stay tough." He let go of Jessie's hand and hoped down from the jeep.

Jessie promised not to tell anyone that the great A.C. Slater cried when he found out that his father was dead. As she moved to turn the radio on, she sighed and turned the Jeep around. For the second time that day, Jessie found herself in front of Slater's house. She killed the engine and got out.

"What am I doing?" She questioned herself as she rang the doorbell.

Slater was not even to the kitchen before the doorbell rang. As he opened the door, Jessie invited herself in and gave him the largest hug he had ever gotten.

"Jes, what you doing?" He asked shocked as he closed the door.

"I have no idea but I couldn't leave you alone. Not now. Besides, someday I'm going to be having a bad time and may need rescued too."

Slater only laughed and led her to the kitchen where he was about to make a late afternoon meal.


End file.
